


she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat ( sin comes in at the eye)

by sapphomyths (pinklemonadelesbian)



Series: shakespeare/myth/fairy tale crossovers [1]
Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, Hellenistic Religion & Lore, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Fix-It of Sorts, Internalized Homophobia, Juliet lives, Nudity, Religious Imagery, but it's not very sexual, i think i did ok, with the imagery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 13:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10992180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinklemonadelesbian/pseuds/sapphomyths
Summary: Juliet has not believed in any god since fate took her love Romeo from her, screaming and bleeding; it is in the citadel, perhaps the holiest of places, where she meets a goddess.





	she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat ( sin comes in at the eye)

**Author's Note:**

> don't ask lmfao

The jewel-toned sunlight streams through the stained glass windows and the Blessed Virgin Mary gazes down upon Juliet with solemn, childlike eyes. The holy light illuminates the citadel, but Juliet has not believed in any god since fate took her love Romeo from her, screaming and bleeding. She cannot escape him, whether she wishes it or not; he haunts her even now as she closes her eyes in mock prayer, his anguished features painted across the insides of her eyelids. She blinks her eyes rapidly open against the stinging of tears and that is when she sees it: a flicker in the half-light, barely there and gone again—a woman, golden-haired, golden skinned, wearing an expression of fierce joy and fierce sorrow. Juliet turns imperceptibly to study the woman more carefully and she disappears in less than a blink.

 

Juliet dreams of the woman constantly; she flits about the garden in nothing, naked skin gleaming in the sunlight. When she turns to Juliet, she is holding a bright red apple out to her; she has already eaten of it and the juice dribbles down her chin. She grins at Juliet as she takes the apple, and when she bites into the same spot the woman did Juliet feels something tighten and then unravel within her. The juice trickles down her chin and the woman leans forward and licks it from her mouth. Juliet wakes from the dream sweating and panting. _"Domine Iesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferiori, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas, quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent.”_ She murmurs out of habit, and repeats the prayer until she falls asleep once again.

 

They meet again long after dusk when Juliet is wandering in her moonlit gardens; she does this often, and nobody stops her, which is a great comfort, if a bitter one. She is standing amidst the newly blooming roses and the suffocating sweetness of the honeysuckle when the woman fades, slowly but surely, into view. Her hair looks like summer and she is dressed in ruby-red, red as the stain of pomegranate, or Eve’s apple, and her lips are as red as that too; they part in a sly grin, curling, inviting, in the dark night and she seems more solid  in the moonlight but her eyes still hold the flicker of sunlight. Juliet feels something flutter in her throat. “Who are you?” She breathes, eyes never leaving the wild, beautiful woman before her. The woman does not answer, studying her intently; the look in her eyes makes Juliet want to run and stay both. “Your soul has been calling to me more often than usual,” the woman replies before disappearing.

 

Fall and winter pass drearily, and it is early summer when Juliet meets the woman again. She is more solid even than in the moonlight and her scars and calluses stand out silvery against her skin. Juliet thinks there is something about her eyes that recalls the eyes of a soldier; so fierce and courageous, like fire and ice in turn. She is already there, waiting, when Juliet reaches her garden; she is watching the roses with a soft sort of fondness that should look out of place but doesn’t, and Juliet finds she can’t breathe. The woman stands when Juliet enters the garden, and striding towards her, takes her hand and kisses it. Juliet startles and nearly pulls away, panic swallowing her, before a sharp pain wedges itself beneath her breastbone like a shard of glass and she realizes that somehow she can’t imagine ever pushing this woman away; it’s a strange feeling and the woman smiles like she knows it.

 

When the woman next appears Juliet is dreaming; it is a dream imbued with summer heat and the heavy scent of flowers covering the sharp, stinging smell of sweat. The woman sat on the throne before her, naked, her gleaming skin and flashing eyes the only light about this place. She smiles, slowly, and something about it makes her look like a lion. “I wondered when you would find your way here,” She says, her voice full of the summer heat that pervades this place. She rises, and Juliet’s eyes follow the lines of her body. The woman smirks and Juliet’s heart nearly stops at the sight of it. The woman glides towards her and kisses her on the lips, sweet and burning; Juliet has a brief moment to panic, to remember every bible verse and prayer her nurse ever ingrained into her, before the woman lays her hand on her breastbone, feather light. It feels like she is being touched by a sun, and when the woman pulls away she is grinning, loose and liquid. “I’m Persephone,” She says as Juliet awakes.

 

After that, Juliet always sees her: out of the corner of her eyes, there and gone, and back again. Persephone is perpetually flickering in and out of sight. She never wears her hair up; instead, it floats around her in clouds and Juliet has never wished to touch something more, but whenever she reaches out Persephone disappears. Juliet wonders if Persephone is playing a game with her, or if she’s in trouble; the question is answered on a cold winter morning when her garden suddenly bursts into bloom and Juliet turns to see Persephone, smiling at her. “Where have you been?” Juliet breathes, hurrying to her side. Persephone’s grin turns into a smirk. “My husband worries if I’m gone too long,” She says airily; Juliet frowns and her smile softens. “That’s why I’m here, actually,” Persephone says, taking Juliet’s hand and squeezing it. “I wanted to know if you would come with me, this time.” Juliet stops breathing. “You mean, to the underworld?” She asks eyes wide. Persephone’s smile wavers. “Well, yes. If you want to. Hades wanted to come get you but he's abysmal at marriage proposals.” Persephone flushes, having said too much, and Juliet swallows, thinking about her mother and father and the way they stifle her more than ever now; she thinks of this city, soaked in blood. “Ok,” She whispers, nodding. Persephone smiles like the sun.

 

The underworld is nothing like Juliet imagined it; there's a wild garden that sprawls around a gnarled apple tree, fruit shining ruby-red that grows at the center of Hades’ court, and lights float along the walls, which flash with jewels. Persephone grins widely at her. “Most of this was my idea,” She whispers to Juliet. “It was so dreary before I came here.” There's a slight cough behind them and Persephone whirls, grin splitting her face. The king is standing before them, a smiling softly. “Welcome home,” He says, making eye-contact with Juliet. She grins back and takes Persephone’s hand in hers, feeling more content and warm than she has in over a year.


End file.
